Book: To Bee or Not to Bee

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A book for the child in all of us . . .

written by John Penberthy
illustrated by Laurie Barrows

THIS BOOK IS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT . . . that's the reason for this lens. I have tried to show the value of the book without giving too much story away. It's truly a book that can be enjoyed by all ages.

INTRODUCTION (from book jacket)

You think you've got problems? Imagine the stifling existence of a worker bee entrenched in the mindless tedium of life in a honeybee colony . . .

To Bee or Not to Bee tells the story of Buzz Bee's search for God. What he ends up finding, with the help of a new-found friend, is himself.

This book teaches that life is too important to be taken so seriously; that the only way out is in.

Why did anything exist!?

 

BUZZ'S DILEMMA

As he observed the activity around him, Buzz's mind drifted off into the secret, otherworldly place it loved to explore. Although his eyes were open, the scene before him gradually faded from Buzz's awareness. Why did anything exist?...Where did it come from?...Why was he here?...What was the point of it all?...Who was he, really?

A passing worker jolted him [Buzz] back to the task at hand. "Let's go, Buzz, there's work to do."

"Don't let'em get you down, young fella."

 

BUZZ MEETS HIS MENTOR

After a few minutes, Buzz became aware of another presence. He lifted his head and looked a few yards upstream. An older bee with only one cockeyed antenna was sitting eyes-closed in perfect stillness. At that moment the older bee opened his eyes, smiled, and nodded at Buzz. Buzz nodded back.

"Don't let'em get you down, young fella," the older be said compassionately.

"How do you know all this?" he asked.

 

BUZZ LOOKS FOR TRUTH IN THE HIVE

Buzz silently pondered all this for a few moments, trying to make sense of it. But he was having a hard time believing something that wasn't logical. He wondered why God would give us reason and logic if he didn't want us to use it. "How do you know all this?" he asked.

"It is knowledge that has been passed down for hundreds of generations," Bobby [an old-school bee] replied.

Buzz wondered why bees from hundreds of generations ago would know any more than bees today. If anything, he thought it should bee the other way around.

"How can you have up without down?"

 

MORE LESSONS FROM BERT

Sensing Buzz's confusion, Bert finally spoke up. "Don't you see, Buzz? Everything is relative; the instant you define one condition, you've created its opposite. How can you have cold unless you know what hot is? How can you have up without down? Happy without sad?"

"But Bert [said Buzz], you seem to bee happy most of the time."

"Buzz, most of what you see in me isn't happiness as much as it is peace - the inner peace that comes from accepting this valley just the way it is . . ."

"But what's the point of it all?

 

THE HIVE ALMOST FALLS IN A STORM . . .

"But what's the point of it all?" [asked Buzz]

"I don't know that there is one [replied Bert], beyond moment-to-moment existence. But when I look around I see one factor common to all life, and that is expansion. Every bit of life seems to bee trying to fill a greater niche, to become all it can bee."

"But Bert, this whole expansion mentality is exactly what drives me crazy about this place."

there's nothing really evil about Boris liking honey.

 

THE HIVE IS ATTACKED BY BORIS THE BEAR

"Hmmm [said Buzz]. Well...I suppose first of all that there really is nothing evil about Boris liking honey. It just seems evil from our perspective because it happens to bee our honey he wants. Given all the pain we cause him, he probably thinks we're as evil as we think he is."

"Good. Say more [said Bert]."

"Well...although it seems as if those bees died protecting the hive, their deaths also have another purpose - to prod us to look for better alternatives. Those bees didn't have to die. The problem, though, is that most folks are either too lazy or proud or bound by tradition to face up to the need for change . . ."

A bee in trouble . . . it was Bert

 

BUZZ FACES A LOSS

The next day, Buzz purposely avoided Bert. He had calmed down, but decided that although the old-timer was well-meaning, he was getting senile and Buzz just didn't need any more of his "wisdom" for a while. Buzz needed to concentrate on regaining his sanity.

At day's end he was heading back to the hive, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bee lying on the ground, obviously in trouble. Buzz dipped down to help when he saw it was Bert, pathetically trying to stand . . .

"It all fits together . . ."

 

BUZZ FOLLOWS HIS DREAM TO FLY OVER THE CLIFFS

As he approached the halfway point, Buzz again began feeling drained. His wings, never before called on to do this kind of duty, ached in protest. He landed on a small rock outcropping to rest, and as he sat there, this tiny bee overseeing his magnificent valley, the reality of what he was doing finally hit him.

"It is all truly perfect," Buzz said slowly to himself. "It all fits together; everything complements everything else . . ."

A gust of wind brought Buzz back to the moment.

How could this bee happening to him?

 

DARK NIGHT OF BUZZ'S SOUL

Buzz felt numb. His ears began ringing. He couldn't believe it - he, Buzz Bee, was going to die. Not somebody else, not an old guy like Bert, but Buzz himself. Tomorrow he just wouldn't bee here anymore. He was so young. How could this bee happening to him? Here he was, following his dream, and now he was going to die for it. The world truly was an unfair place. A thousand thoughts raced uncontrolled through his terrified mind.

Does Boris return to the hive?!

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO BUZZ AND THE HIVE?

Did you really think I'd give away the ending?

 

Paperback

To Bee or Not to Bee: A Book for Beeings Who Feel There's More to Life Than Just Making Honey, Revised Edition

To Bee or Not to Bee: A Book for Beeings Who Feel There's More to Life Than Just Making Honey, Revised Edition

by: John Penberthy, Laurie Barrows

Amazon Price: (as of 07/05/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $14.95
Used Price: $1.69

 

Hardcover

To Bee or Not to Bee: A Book for Beeings Who Feel There's More to Life Than Just Making Honey

To Bee or Not to Bee: A Book for Beeings Who Feel There's More to Life Than Just Making Honey

by: John Penberthy

Amazon Price: $13.46 (as of 07/05/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $17.95
Used Price: $0.01

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To Bee or Not to Bee: Reviews 

"A delightful fable, honeycombed with wit, stinging with wakefulness."
~ Rick Fields, former editor of Yoga Journal

"This tender allegory mirrors our learning to Bee Here Now."
~ Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now

" . . . when the flower opens, the bees come uninvited -- this is one of those bees. A fable of delightful enlightenment."
~ Stephen Levine, author of Healing into Life and Death

"The charming illustrations may seduce you, but the powerful and provocative message will resonate with you for ages. If you've ever doubted the omnipresence of God, read this book and bee-lieve."
~ Gay Hendricks, co-author of Conscious Loving

". . . a simplicity that is powerful, a purity that reminds us of the Light we all are."
~ Dann Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior

The author

John Penberthy has managed a vitamin A project for Helen Keller International in Indonesia, and the Cache River Bioreserve for The Nature Conservancy.

The idea for To Bee or Not To Bee came to the author during a meditation.

He currently lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Comments Welcome! 

Lensmaster

debnet wrote...

Welcome to the Emotional Wellbeing Group ;)

ReplyPosted September 03, 2008

Lensmaster

RickBasset wrote...

Truer words have never BEE...n spoken. Thanks for a great lens and welcome to the "People For Peace" group!

Peace! :~)

ReplyPosted September 02, 2008

 

The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters

The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters

by: Simon Buxton

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/05/2009)Buy Now

"This book is like having a backstage-pass into the actual secret life of bees. Bee Master, Simon Buxton, takes us on his shaman's journey that unveils a tradition that has been held sacred for thousands of years. After reading this book, I felt I had been initiated into the ancient feminine mystery of sacred sexuality." (Tori Amos)

 

The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism

The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism

by: Jürgen Tautz

Amazon Price: $39.96 (as of 07/05/2009)Buy Now

"In small steps, the author approaches the deeper nature of bees: With 250 photos, the presentation is excellent. Over 50 of them are full-page photos and give the volume a particular aesthetic allure. Any beekeeper who has ever tried to photograph their bees would be envious. As a basic work, "The Buzz about Bees" is not only a milestone in bee literature for beekeepers, but recommended for anyone interested in nature. It links new up-to-date insights with established knowledge" (Gilbert Brockmann, in: ADIZ/db/IF, 2007, p. 2) -- From the review of the German edition